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Carl Crawford had the most honest answer of any Dodger when asked to update his health status after Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Sunday night.

Crawford, who went head-over-heels over a short padded fence and fell into a concrete patio along the left-field line — all while catching Brian McCann‘s foul pop-up in the eighth inning — stayed in the game and seemed no worse for the wear.

Why was that?

“I’m on all kinds of medication right now so I won’t feel it until tomorrow,” he said. “I’ll have an answer for you by tomorrow.”

Crawford even beat out a forceout in the bottom of the eighth inning, then scored from second base on a single by Hanley Ramirez.
Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig was feeling much less loquacious after the Dodgers’ 13-6 win.

After scoring from second base on a single by Skip Schumaker in the third inning, Puig slammed his helmet in the dugout and quickly disappeared down the tunnel leading to the Dodgers’ clubhouse, trailed by assistant athletic trainer Nancy Patterson Flynn. Puig emerged just in time to take the field for the fourth inning, but not before flexing his left knee in the dugout then jogging gingerly to his position.

Puig also remained in the game. Asked afterward what happened, Puig simply shook his head and said “no.”

Ramirez was at least humorous in hiding his health concerns after the win.

Ramirez credited the Dodgers’ training staff for keeping him on the field, and manager Don Mattingly for keeping him off the field late in the regular season. Ramirez missed nine of the Dodgers’ final 16 games while recuperating from an irritated nerve in his lower back.

He has six extra-base hits in the first three games of the series against the Atlanta Braves.

Asked what parts of his body were hurting tonight, Ramirez said, “that’s a secret.”

A.J. Ellis, who was hit by a 96-mph Jordan Walden fastball in his left elbow in the eighth inning, had x-rays performed on the elbow after the game. The x-rays came back negative.

About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.

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